Archaeological evidence suggests that ancient civilizations developed primitive diving technology thousands of years before Jacques Cousteau strapped on his first aqualung.
The oldest depiction of an Assyrian soldier diving, dating back 3,000 years, shows the man using an inflated goatskin bag for both buoyancy and air supply.
This ingenious device served as history’s first documented diving apparatus, challenging our assumptions about when humans first began exploring underwater environments.
The Ancient Diving Discovery
The scene is captured on a 9th-century BCE relief tablet, now preserved in the British Museum, depicting Assyrian military tactics during King Ashurnasirpal II’s reign. The artifact highlights the resourceful survival techniques employed by one of history’s most powerful civilizations.
“The Assyrians were extraordinary innovators,” explains Dr. Eleanor Robson, Professor of Ancient Middle Eastern History at University College London. “They developed practical solutions to military challenges that we previously associated with much later periods.”
The relief shows soldiers crossing a body of water while breathing through an animal skin flotation device. This primitive diving gear predates modern scuba equipment by nearly three millennia.
How Ancient Diving Worked
Unlike modern diving systems with compressed air tanks, the Assyrian method utilized inflated goatskins as multi-purpose tools. After removing the animal’s organs and sealing most openings, a soldier would:
- Inflate the skin by blowing into one remaining opening
- Partially submerge with the skin, using it for flotation
- Periodically draw air from the skin’s pocket while underwater
While rudimentary by modern standards, this technique allowed Assyrian forces to achieve what was previously thought impossible for ancient armies – crossing rivers and waterways undetected during military campaigns.
Military Advantage Through Innovation
The Assyrian Empire dominated Mesopotamia and beyond from approximately 900 to 612 BCE. Their military prowess stemmed largely from technological advantages that other civilizations lacked.
Dr. Michael Seymour, curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, notes, “The Assyrians weren’t just brute force conquerors as they’re often portrayed. They were sophisticated problem-solvers who applied observational science to warfare.”
These inflatable diving aids gave Assyrian forces a critical edge in surprise attacks. Enemy fortresses positioned near waterways suddenly became vulnerable to infiltration by soldiers who could approach without detection.
But Were They Really “Scuba Diving”?
Here’s where conventional thinking falls short. While the Assyrian technique doesn’t match our modern definition of scuba diving with compressed air tanks, it fundamentally served the same purpose – allowing humans to remain underwater for extended periods by bringing an air supply with them.
Dr. Stephanie Dalley, Assyriologist at Oxford University, challenges the narrow definition: “If we define scuba diving as using equipment to breathe underwater, then yes, the Assyrians were doing a primitive version of it three millennia ago.”
The goatskin technique allowed for:
- Respiratory independence underwater
- Controlled buoyancy
- Extended submersion time
- Hands-free operation
These are precisely the core principles of all modern diving systems.
Beyond Military Applications
While the British Museum relief depicts military usage, evidence suggests these techniques weren’t limited to warfare. Assyrian commercial and construction activities also benefited from this diving capability.
The empire’s extensive irrigation systems, canal networks, and bridge foundations sometimes required underwater maintenance. Historical records indicate specialized workers used similar flotation techniques for these civilian applications.
Dr. Julian Reade, former curator at the British Museum, points out, “The Assyrians were pragmatic. A technology that worked in one domain was quickly applied wherever it provided advantage.”
Archaeological findings from ancient Nineveh describe maintenance workers using animal skins to inspect underwater structures, suggesting a dedicated class of civilian divers existed alongside military specialists.
From Ancient Mesopotamia to Modern Diving
The evolutionary line from Assyrian goatskin diving to modern scuba equipment follows a fascinating trajectory through history.
After the Assyrians, other ancient civilizations developed their own diving methods:
- Greek sponge divers used weighted stones and breath-holding techniques
- Alexander the Great reportedly used a primitive diving bell in 332 BCE
- Roman naval forces employed specialized divers for ship maintenance
- Medieval Arab and Chinese texts describe various breathing tubes and containers
Yet none of these subsequent civilizations appear to have recreated the Assyrian system of portable air supply until much later in history.
Why This Matters Today
The discovery of ancient Assyrian diving techniques radically reshapes our understanding of human technological development. It suggests that innovations we consider modern often have ancient precursors that were forgotten or overlooked.
“History isn’t linear,” explains Dr. Robson. “Technological progress can leap forward then disappear for centuries before being rediscovered. The Assyrian diving technique is a perfect example of this pattern.”
This ancient innovation challenges our modern tendency to view technological progress as a straight line from primitive to advanced. Instead, it reveals how human ingenuity operates in cycles, with remarkable solutions sometimes emerging, disappearing, and reemerging throughout history.
Technological Amnesia
Perhaps most fascinating is how completely this technology was forgotten. When 16th-century European inventors began experimenting with diving bells and tubes, they had no knowledge of the Assyrian precedent from over two thousand years earlier.
“We tend to overestimate our uniqueness in history,” says Dr. Seymour. “Many ‘modern’ inventions are actually rediscoveries of solutions that ancient people already developed.”
This technological amnesia raises profound questions about what other ancient innovations might have been lost to time – and what we might rediscover by more carefully examining archaeological evidence through a practical, rather than purely artistic, lens.
The Assyrian Technological Legacy
The Assyrian civilization thrived as a result of both technological and strategic innovations. Their empire eventually stretched from Egypt to Iran, encompassing diverse peoples and geography.
Beyond diving technology, they pioneered:
- Advanced siege engines
- Sophisticated logistics systems
- Long-distance communication networks
- Complex irrigation infrastructure
Their diving technology represents just one example of how this ancient civilization solved complex problems through observation and practical application.
As Dr. Dalley notes, “The Assyrians weren’t sitting around theorizing. They were builders, engineers, and problem-solvers who tested ideas in the real world.”
Rethinking Ancient Capabilities
The evidence of Assyrian diving should prompt us to reconsider our assumptions about ancient technological capabilities more broadly.
If they could develop underwater breathing equipment three thousand years ago, what other sophisticated technologies might have existed in the ancient world that we’ve yet to recognize or fully appreciate?
Archaeological discoveries continue to push back the timeline of human innovation. Recent findings have revealed that ancient peoples were sailing open oceans, performing brain surgery, and creating complex astronomical calculations much earlier than previously thought.
Looking Forward by Looking Back
Modern diving technology has opened up underwater worlds that were previously inaccessible, enabling scientific research, resource extraction, and extraordinary recreational experiences.
It’s humbling to recognize that the fundamental principles behind these modern capabilities were already being explored by innovative minds three millennia ago.
“The story of diving,” concludes Dr. Robson, “isn’t just about modern inventors creating something new. It’s about humanity’s persistent drive to overcome natural limitations – a drive that’s been with us since ancient times.”
It’s incredible to think that thousands of years ago, such creative solutions were already in play. Perhaps the greatest lesson from the Assyrian divers is that human ingenuity has always found ways to transcend our natural limitations – whether through inflated goatskins in ancient Mesopotamia or high-tech diving equipment today.
References
- British Museum, “Relief of Assyrian Soldiers Crossing River,” ME 124550, 9th century BCE.
- Dalley, S. (2013). “The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon.” Oxford University Press.
- Reade, J. (2018). “Assyrian Military Practices and Innovations,” Journal of Ancient Military Studies, 22(3), 145-168.
- Robson, E. (2020). “Ancient Knowledge Networks: A Social Geography of Cuneiform Scholarship.” Princeton University Press.
- Seymour, M. (2017). “Babylon: Legend, History and the Ancient City.” I.B. Tauris.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art, “Assyrian Military Campaigns,” Gallery 401.
- Moorey, P.R.S. (1994). “Ancient Mesopotamian Materials and Industries: The Archaeological Evidence.” Clarendon Press.
- Curtis, J. & Reade, J. (1995). “Art and Empire: Treasures from Assyria in the British Museum.” British Museum Press.
- Frahm, E. (2019). “A Companion to Assyria.” Wiley-Blackwell.
- Layard, A.H. (1853). “Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon.” John Murray.
